When Sherbini's body was buried in her hometown of Alexandria on Monday, thousands turned out for the funeral, raising banners and, according to wire reports, chanting slogans such as, "The Germans are the enemies of God" and "Down with Germany

But for many, Sherbini has become a convenient martyr, an easy, emotional means to an end — or a distraction from Egypt's domestic woes. "The Islamists in Egypt have already [begun] using this as a card to mobilize for the veil — not for the right of women to wear whatever they want, but in defense of the veil," Hossam el-Hamalawy, an Egyptian journalist and author of the popular blog Arabawy.org, tells TIME.

But more salient than the women's dress issue is the manipulation of Sherbini as a symbol of Islam in a perceived stand-off between the Muslim world and the West